SFF x86 Router Build

[DDY]

Time for a quick build dump!

I know there’s a few here who appreciate the small form factor build, and I haven’t posted a build for years. Even longer since my last router build:


An EPIA VIA C3 ITX board with an ADSL PCI card, IP Cop installed on a CF card, c. 2006 – this could handle hundreds of connections (e.g. ed2k and Torrents ) where typical routers of the day would fall over. Up to 8Mb/s download, ftw!

Back to the present; I’ll be upgrading my WAN from 150Mb to 1Gb soon, and my current router (GL Inet B1300) is already straining on 150Mb – with VLANs and SQM to be fair.

New router is based around the ASRock J4125B-ITX board. I chose this board because the quad core Gemini Lake chip should be well-capable of 1Gb WAN with SQM and it’s one of the few onboard CPU boards with reasonable PCIe hardware – physically x16, electrically x2 which should be enough for the Intel i340 quad GigE card.

I found the aluminium case on ebay for £35 a few days ago; used, slightly bendy, mangled screw heads and threads, but nothing that couldn’t be repaired, still waiting for some replacement screws I ordered which can go on later. Similar cases are available for about £60 delivered new, but without the PCIe riser, this one had the riser included which sealed the deal. Case takes a standard-short 1U power supply, I installed a Seasonic SSP-300SUB.

This boots OpenWRT x86(-x64 EFI) off a USB stick, attached to the end of an internal USB header cable stuck with double-sided foam tape on to the inside-front of the case.

Going forward I’ll monitor the temps of both the NIC and CPU, as neither have any air flow outside of passive convection. There’s space for heatsink-facing fans on both the CPU and NIC side of the case so I can install fans to lower temps if needed.

[jimbouk]

How is the noise/temp on the PSU? Any airflow expected at the front of it or just the vents I can see on the top? Looks pretty cramped at the end with the long cables - have you thought about giving them a chop? I guess it would be nice to put back on the proper connectors then use extension leads if needed in future.

Looks like a neat solution. Love the handle on the case - proper industrial feel.

[kompukare]

Nice build!

How much power would the whole thing max at?

As this seems like the perfect little box to use a laptop 19V external supply to eliminate fans.

[DDY]

Idle: 12W
OpenSSL Benchmark: 16W

The benchmark doesn't load up the NIC. Intel spec the NIC at 4.3W TDP so making an assumption, let’s say this machine might pull at most 20W if I had the network and CPU maxed out.

I'm quite happy with that, it's not far of the power consumption for an all-singing-and-dancing home router. No Wifi of course, but I'd be running separate APs anyway.

CPU temps maxed at 80 degC, so I might be ok without a fan. I still need to check the NIC once I have some network load to test.

This thing is totally silent, the PSU fan spins-up only when it's needed and according to the Seasonic datasheet: "Fanless Mode (up to 30% load)". With a max 20W load at 80% eff., we're looking at a 7% PSU load and 4W of heat that the PSU needs to get rid of, so I suppose the fan will never have to spin up!

There are two sets of intake vents on the PSU; on the top-rear and rear-face. I don't think the intakes are terribly blocked, I reckon they’re ok – especially on the NIC side of the case where there isn’t a cable nest.

[kompukare]

Idle: 12W
OpenSSL Benchmark: 16W

The benchmark doesn't load up the NIC. Intel spec the NIC at 4.3W TDP so making an assumption, let’s say this machine might pull at most 20W if I had the network and CPU maxed out.

I'm quite happy with that, it's not far of the power consumption for an all-singing-and-dancing home router. No Wifi of course, but I'd be running separate APs anyway.

CPU temps maxed at 80 degC, so I might be ok without a fan. I still need to check the NIC once I have some network load to test.

This thing is totally silent, the PSU fan spins-up only when it's needed and according to the Seasonic datasheet: "Fanless Mode (up to 30% load)". With a max 20W load at 80% eff., we're looking at a 7% PSU load and 4W of heat that the PSU needs to get rid of, so I suppose the fan will never have to spin up!

There are two sets of intake vents on the PSU; on the top-rear and rear-face. I don't think the intakes are terribly blocked, I reckon they’re ok – especially on the NIC side of the case where there isn’t a cable nest.

That's pretty good.

So with the fanless mode of that Seasonic you get the best of both worlds.

As silent as a laptop 19V supply but if needed it can supply more if needed.

The tiny (loud) 40mm fan should never get a chance to scream.